Based on a series of heartwarming vignettes about an all- American kid growing up in the late 1930s, A Christmas Story was initially only a modest success. Yet, writer and narrator Jean 'Shep' Shepherd clearly knew what he was doing, as the unique storytelling format would lead his film to slowly gain steam, eventually becoming massively successful and going on to inspire shows like The Wonder Years.

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Today, many rate A Christmas Story among the best holiday movies of all time, combining nostalgia with humor in a way that has worked for audiences across the decades since its release. Naturally, that got us wondering what Hogwarts House Ralphie, Miss Shields, or even Santa himself might fall into.

Ralphie Parker - Gryffindor

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As the A Christmas Story character that resembles Harry Potter himself, there's no question that our guy Ralphie is a Gryffindor. Ralphie's quest to get his hands on the Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle is a quest equaled only by Harry Potter's struggle against Voldemort

While both Harry Potter and Ralphie ultimately succeed, the journey isn't without its hardships, with each of them beset by bullies. Still, as true Gryffindors, they each prevail by building a solid friend group, and Ralphie becomes one of the greatest protagonists the world has ever known. Right alongside Harry!

Randy Parker - Hufflepuff

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No Christmas story is complete without a cute, well-meaning moppet that annoys their elder sibling to no end. In A Christmas Story, that moppet is Randy. Refusing to eat with his hands and whining whenever he feels left out, this guy is the essential annoying kid.

Randy is a cute kid with minimal personality beyond "little brother." Yet, it's his love for the home life, his unabashed love for life, and his ungodly bullheaded behavior that places him in the House of Hufflepuff alongside greats like Cedric Diggory.

Mrs. Parker - Hufflepuff

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One character in A Christmas Story who seems genuinely kind and wholesome is Ralphie and Randy's mom, Mrs. Parker. Possessed of a superhuman sense of optimism and a desire to give her family a perfect Christmas year after year, she is absolutely devastated when the neighbor's dogs run through and destroy the feast she worked so hard on. However, it doesn't take much to get her back into the spirit.

The long-suffering mom trope is all over fiction, but Mrs. Parker isn't a total pushover. When her husband receives a tacky lamp in the shape of a woman's fishnet-covered leg, she shows some classic Hufflepuff stubbornness and tries to put her foot down. The lamp ends up broken into pieces, and that's probably for the best.

The Old Man - Ravenclaw

The Old Man from 'A Christmas Story'

The Old Man is portrayed as a smart, down-to-earth guy who is very much set in his beliefs and has a temper to parallel the fires of Mordor. If you ask us, that sounds like the essential Ravenclaw, and his desire to be left in peace absolutely cements it.

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Though Ravenclaws (and dads) have their upsides, there's also an edginess to them that sometimes falls under the radar. The Old Man cares about his family, but he's also rude to others and puts his wife through a lot. The Old Man sees what matters most in the end, but getting him to look around and read the room is a challenge in and of itself.

Flick - Gryffindor

Flick from 'A Christmas Story'

Ah, courageous, doomed Flick, if you were guilty of anything, it was simply flying too close to the sun. On a dare from Schwartz, Flick bravely licks a frozen telephone pole, and the rest is history. The star of what is perhaps the most famous moment in the film, Flick foolishly believes that he will be safe from the laws of physics.

Seeking to prove his great bravery, he refuses to back down from the challenge that has been laid out for him. He sticks his tongue out takes a lick only to find himself unable to pull free with his tongue now frozen to the pole. Though things eventually work out for Flick, the pain of his bad choices is what informs him going forward. Learning from his mistakes, Flick is a Gryffindor through and through.

Schwartz - Slytherin

Schwartz from 'A Christmas Story'

As noted in the last entry, Schwartz is the kid that dares the unlucky Flick to lick the telephone pole, which he immediately becomes stuck to. That gives a pretty good idea of what Schwartz is like. Always urging others to jump into trouble that he himself stays mostly innocent of, Schwartz is the classic long-game-playing Slytherin.

Like most Slytherin, Schwarz isn't exactly evil, he just likes to set things in motion and see where they go. That said, following his advice or repeating the swear words one learns from him are hazardous activities that can easily land a kid in serious trouble.

Miss Shields - Ravenclaw

Miss Shields from 'A Christmas Story'

Ralphie imagines Miss Shields as an evil witch, but the fact is that she's just a teacher trying to impart some wisdom to a wild group of kids who wish they were out playing with bb guns instead. Asking the kids to put away their toys in favor of some good old-fashioned book learning is a major part of what makes Miss Shields a perfect Ravenclaw.

Ralphie does his best to bribe Miss Shields with fruit in hopes of receiving good grades in return, and while she appreciates the gesture, she later expresses disappointment in the children's lack of studying. Being disappointed in others in a classic Ravenclaw trait, and that's the house where Miss Shields would feel most at home.

Santa - Ravenclaw

Santa from 'A Christmas Story'

Most people think of Santa as a jolly old man who brings toys to good children across the world. Yet, there is another side to Santa. In A Christmas Story, Santa and his elves are simply overworked mall employees who deal with the best and the worst of kids all day long.

Hoping to rush through things without incident, Santa dashes Ralphie's hopes for a bb gun by prudently informing him that he could easily shoot his eye out. This doesn't come as good news to Ralphie, but it is exactly the kind of prudent advice a Ravenclaw would give.

Scut Farkus and Grover Dill - Slytherin

Scut Farkus and Grover Dill from 'A Christmas Story'

Scut Farkus rates high on the list of great Christmas villains, terrorizing the other kids along with his righthand man, Grover. Though Scut ultimately learns the errors of his way after a humiliating beating at Ralphie's hands, that didn't stop him from inspiring fear in countless neighborhood children.

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We don't know much about Scut or Grover outside of their status as big-time bullies. Still, there is no denying that they embody the ambition and cunning of the house of Slytherin, like Harry Potter antagonist Draco Malfoy.

Tree Salesman - Slytherin

Tree Salesman from 'A Christmas Story'

The Tree Salesman only appears in A Christmas Story briefly, but he makes an impact as the wheeling and dealing haggler who we assume makes a commission off of every tree he sells. Approaching the Parkers with gumption, he pulls out all the stops to get them to take a less-than-perfect tree off of his hands.

The House of Slytherin can always use another savvy dealmaker in their ranks, and the Tree Salesman would make a great fit. Caving only when The Old Man threatens to get a plastic tree instead, he manages to drag the couple back in with one last deal.

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